starter problems on a sbc 350???

I have a sbc 350 in my 54 chevy with a newer model starter been running just fine till bout 2 weeks ago it startd hittin I shimmed it did good for awhile started hittin again shimmed it agagain then noticed the 2 mounting bolts are bent changed em did good for 2 days and started hittin again but nasty ! So wtf ? Any have any advice or wisdom on this ? Flywheel teet all there but startin to take a beatin bad !

 

try another starter first.

 

Probably a silly question but you are using the factory starter bolts..correct. You may need the bracket that bolts on the back of the starter and engine block to help keep the starter supported and the nose bolts from working loose or bending. Also check your timing as an incorrect timed motor can make the starter work harder to crank the engine over.

 

ooops

 

Yeah, try another starter before you screw up your flywheel. I'm wondering why the bolts were bent. I've never even heard of that happening.

 

I have to ask what bellhousing you are using?

A modern small, (10.5"), or a modern large, (11" and/or 12" truck), jobber and all guts for each size are correct. If so, you need to go back and make sure you have the CORRECT starter w/ the again, CORRECT snout on it for each set-up.

Now, if you by chance have a Tri-5 that has the side mount early 2-piece that bolt's the starter straight in and NOT up to the block, then again, double check everything.

To clarify this way early 2-piece cast-iron B/H and clutch stuff, my '55, 265 cast-iron P/G bellhousing was 2-piece and the block half I think bolted up to the Pontiac 4-speed Hydro tranny like the Indian Safari had.

Please you old-time Hambers double-check me here b/c it's been back when I was a pup in the early '60's.

pdq67

PS., and please really do your homework here if it turn's out to not be a shim deal.

 

ooops

 

Had same problem--I went through 2 flywheels and 4 starters. I know how to shim a starter--in fact each starter "meshed" perfect for couple months before causing issuses.
I went to a belhousing mount starter and has been perfect, no issues since. Why? Heard I was not only one and it was machining on block.

 

Kool thanks y'all ! Its a 350 outta a 72 pickup it didn't have another bracket on the starter , after it was rebuilt I installed a newr model starter them lil hi torque sob's and it ran fine for bout a year till now !
Joe and borntoloze y'all might be right the new blts aren't knurled at the end ! I'm try that and see what happens !

Thanks again brothers and keep the advice rollin in !

 

Kool thanks y'all ! Its a 350 outta a 72 pickup it didn't have another bracket on the starter , after it was rebuilt I installed a newr model starter them lil hi torque sob's and it ran fine for bout a year till now !
Joe and borntoloze y'all might be right the new blts aren't knurled at the end ! I'm try that and see what happens !

Thanks again brothers and keep the advice rollin in !

 

Ok swaped out the bolts and the starter and its still hittin ! any ideas ??

 

the proper bolts are a part - not a standard bolt. You can get them from any Chev dealer and/or I think most of the popular catalog hotrod suppliers have them also. These "parts" are a necessity due to the knurling. If you have knurled bolts - and the small bracket that mounts the forward end of the starter to the block, then I'm at a loss for an answer except to look to see if something is cracked at the block.

 

Iknow its a tight squeeze but can you past up some pictures of the setup,bending the bolts is odd problem.

 

I am having the same issue with a 400 sbc in an RV.
Eats starter like crazy..
Bench test them,and their fine..shimmed.worked for a short time..(maybe 6 starts,then screws up again).
replaced flywheel with a heavier SFI cert. unit..worked for awhile,then screwed up again.
Have replaced starter 3 times this yr..

NOW,you guys got me thinking,because I am using the same knurled starter bolts..
BUT, never tried new ones.

Even considering a mini starter..figured it was header heat that might be fryin them.
(one siezed)..

Thanks for the tips..
I'
ll be watching this thread.

Rick

 

ok, is there anything under the starter? like exhaust crossover, crossmember? Is there anything that maybe the starter is hitting while driving....say from a broken motor mount? I have seen this (bent starter bolts and eat starters) on a car with busted motor mount. Every hard take off the stater would hit the frame and bend the bolts a little.

 

In my case ,there is nothing under the starter,,and I replaced the cast Iron exhaust with headers.

Going with new bolts next.

Rick
==============================================

 

You probably have a mis-matched starter nose cone for your block, lots of luck finding the right one! Run the engine number to possibly narrow down what you have there first.

The knurled portion of the bolts take up the slop in the starter housing holes. I probably have 6 sets of them in my bolt hoard. I've never seen any of them bend before, even in some abused applications.

I'm also with tossing that bracket in the front to stabilize it. But with the mesh issue you have, you might break the starter drive or nose cone with it in place.

Bob

 

ooops

 

Put a proper front mounting bracket on your GM starter. If your's didn't have one, it's because someone took it off and didn't bother to put it back... When your incorrect mounting bolts worked loose, it allowed the front of your starter to drop down, jamming the gears on the bendix into the flywheel gears and destroying both.

 

If I only had a buck for every one of those I chucked out, probably have 3 or 4 in my bolt hoard as well. Once I learned that they were important, I used them.

Bob

 

I've pretty much stuck with the big flywheels and have had almost zero GM starter problems. All of my stick setups I've used the truck bellhousings and starters, jump the solenoid out and use a Ford solenoid on the firewall. End of any starter issues for me.

So the rule of thumb may be the 9-tooth starter gear with the 153-tooth flywheel and the 11 and 168 combo?

Bob

 

I swapped out the hi torque mini for the original bulky sob and I'm useing the knurled bolts and its shimmed with 1/8th clearance between the solnoid gear and flywheel , it cranks but then hits pretty bad ! The pass side header is hugging it cloose ! Motor mounts aren't broken either !

 

I think you have trashed the flywheel !

 

ooops

 

If I remember correctly a 72 chevy truck should have a starter support on it.I'm not positive but I've stripped quite a few of them and I remember a brace at the front of the starter going to the block.

 

I have a rule of thumb, rebuild the original starter and use quality OE bolts whenever possible. chinese nose cones never work right, I usually mill them down and shim to fit if I don't have the real one.

 

x2 soo many people just throw these away! they are important!

 

Ok,I have had trouble with starters in my RV forever.common link was I used the same bolts each time. Maybe my mistake !! Likely ..

TODAY,I decided to check my junk chev starter pile and found a snout that my bolts fit into VERY snuggly (such a word?)..and built one starter out of 3 .

All the starter I have bought ,the mounting holes have a WAY to much clearence,,and that causes them to work loose..(similar to what this other guys has said).
So,before you buy another starter,take your bolts with you or buy new ones that fit tight.

What good is a Advanced Auto lifetime garuantee ,if their JUNK,when ya buy them..

That's the lesson I learned today.

Rick

 

Check your flywheel for play or to see if its bent. Might be wobbling and working your starter loose. What i mean by play is see if your flywheel moves back and forth when you grab it.

 

No play in the flywheel and tranny is bolted tightly to the block , no cracks on or around the starter mounting holes ! I'm put a dail indicator on the flywheel and see if its warped !

I also heard if my batt isn't puttin out enough cranking amps that wouldn't power the starter to turn the engine over , is that true ? How many amps does a sbc need to turn over ?